[Congressional Record Volume 146, Number 62 (Thursday, May 18, 2000)]
[Senate]
[Page S4214]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




  INDIAN EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND RELATED SERVICES DEMONSTRATION ACT 
                           AMENDMENTS OF 1999

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the Senate 
now proceed to the consideration of Calendar No. 526, S. 1509.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will report the bill by title.
  The assistant legislative clerk read as follows:

       A bill (S. 1509) to amend the Indian Employment, Training, 
     and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992, to emphasize 
     the need for job creation on Indian reservations, and for 
     other purposes.

  There being no objection, the Senate proceeded to consider the 
bill which had been reported from the Committee on Indian Affairs, with 
amendments; as follows:

  (The parts of the bill intended to be stricken are shown in boldface 
brackets)

                                S. 1509

     Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of 
     the United States of America in Congress assembled,

     SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

       This Act may be cited as the ``Indian Employment, Training 
     and Related Services Demonstration Act Amendments of 1999''.

     SEC. 2. FINDINGS, PURPOSES.

       (a) Findings.--The Congress finds that--
       (1) Indian tribes and Alaska Native organizations that have 
     participated in carrying out programs under the Indian 
     Employment, Training, and Related Services Demonstration Act 
     of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3401 et seq.) have--
       (A) improved the effectiveness of employment-related 
     services provided by those tribes and organizations to their 
     members;
       (B) enabled more Indian and Alaska Native people to prepare 
     for and secure employment;
       (C) assisted in transitioning tribal members from welfare 
     to work; and
       (D) otherwise demonstrated the value of integrating 
     employment, training, education and related services.
       (E) the initiatives under the Indian Employment, Training, 
     and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 should be 
     strengthened by ensuring that all Federal programs that 
     emphasize the value of work may be included within a 
     demonstration program of an Indian or Alaska Native 
     organization;
       (F) the initiatives under the Indian Employment, Training, 
     and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 should have 
     the benefit of the support and attention of the officials 
     with policymaking authority of--
       (i) the Department of the Interior;
       (ii) other Federal agencies that administer programs 
     covered by the Indian Employment, Training, and Related 
     Services Demonstration Act of 1992.
       (b) Purposes.--The purposes of this Act are to demonstrate 
     how Indian tribal governments can integrate the employment, 
     training and related services they provide in order to 
     improve the effectiveness of those services, reduce 
     joblessness in Indian communities, foster economic 
     development on Indian lands, and serve tribally-determined 
     goals consistent with the policies of self-determination and 
     self-governance.

     SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO THE INDIAN EMPLOYMENT, TRAINING AND 
                   RELATED SERVICES DEMONSTRATION ACT OF 1992.

       (a) Definitions.--Section 3 of the Indian Employment, 
     Training, and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 
     U.S.C. 3402) is amended--
       (1) by redesignating paragraphs (1) through (3) as 
     paragraphs (2) through (4), respectively; and
       (2) by inserting before paragraph (2) the following:
       ``(1) Federal agency.--The term `federal agency' has the 
     same meaning given the term `agency' in section 551(1) of 
     title 5, United States Code.''.
       (b) Programs Affected.--Section 5 of the Indian Employment, 
     Training, and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 
     U.S.C. 3404) is amended by striking ``job training, tribal 
     work experience, employment opportunities, or skill 
     development, or any program designed for the enhancement of 
     job opportunities or employment training'' and inserting the 
     following: ``assisting Indian youth and adults to succeed in 
     the workforce, encouraging self-sufficiency, familiarizing 
     Indian Youth and adults with the world of work, facilitating 
     the creation of job opportunities and any services related to 
     these activities''.
       (c) Plan Review.--Section 7 of the Indian Employment, 
     Training, and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 
     U.S.C. 3406) is amended--
       (1) by striking ``Federal department'' and inserting 
     ``Federal agency'';
       (2) by striking ``Federal departmental'' and inserting 
     ``Federal agency'';
       (3) by striking ``department'' each place it appears and 
     inserting ``agency''; and
       (4) in the third sentence, by inserting ``statutory 
     requirement,'', after ``to waive any''.
       (d) Plan Approval.--Section 8 of the Indian Employment, 
     Training, and Related Services Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 
     U.S.C. 3407) is amended--
       (1) in the first sentence, by inserting before the period 
     at the end the following; ``, including any request for a 
     waiver that is made as part of the plan submitted by the 
     tribal government'';
       (2) in the second sentence, by inserting before the period 
     at the end the following: ``, including reconsidering the 
     disapproval of any waiver requested by the Indian tribe''.
       (e) Job Creation Activities Authorized.--Section 9 of the 
     Indian Employment, Training, and Related Services 
     Demonstration Act of 1992 (25 U.S.C. 3407) is amended--
       (1) by inserting ``(a) In General.--'' before ``The plan 
     submitted''; and
       (2) by adding at the end the following:
       ``(b) Job Creation Opportunities.--
       ``(1) In general.--Notwithstanding any other provisions of 
     law, including any requirement of a program that is 
     integrated under a plan under this Act, a tribal government 
     may use a percentage of the funds made available under this 
     Act (as determined under paragraph (2)) for the creation of 
     employment opportunities, including providing private sector 
     training placement under section 10.
       ``(2) Determination of percentage.--The percentage of funds 
     that a tribal government may use under this subsection is the 
     greater of--
       ``(A) the rate of unemployment in the service area of the 
     tribe up to a maximum of 25 percent; or
       ``(B) 10 percent.
       ``(c) Limitation.--The funds used for an expenditure 
     described in subsection (a) may only include funds made 
     available to the Indian tribe by a Federal agency under a 
     statutory or administrative formula.''.

     [SEC. 4. ALASKA REGIONAL CONSORTIA.

       [The Indian Employment, Training, and Related Services 
     Demonstration Act of 1992 is amended by adding at the end the 
     following:

     [``SEC. 19. ALASKA REGIONAL CONSORTIA.

       [``(a) In General.--Notwithstanding any other provision of 
     law, subject to subsection (b), the Secretary shall permit a 
     regional consortium of Alaska Native villages or regional or 
     village corporations (as defined in or established under the 
     Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (43 U.S.C. 1601 et seq.) 
     to carry out a project under a plan that meets the 
     requirements of this Act through a resolution adopted by the 
     governing body of that consortium or corporation.
       [``(b) Withdrawal.--Nothing in subsection (a) is intended 
     to prohibit an Alaska Native village from withdrawing from 
     participation in any portion of a program conducted pursuant 
     to this Act.''.]

     SEC. [5.] 4. REPORT ON EXPANDING THE OPPORTUNITIES FOR 
                   PROGRAM INTEGRATION.

       Not later than one year after the date of enactment of this 
     Act, the Secretary, the Secretary of Health and Human 
     Services, the Secretary of Labor, and the tribes and 
     organizations participating in the integration initiative 
     under this Act shall submit a report to the Committee on 
     Indian Affairs of the Senate and the Committee on Resources 
     of the House of Representatives on the opportunities for 
     expanding the integration of human resource development and 
     economic development programs under this Act, and the 
     feasibility of establishing Joint Funding Agreements to 
     authorize tribes to access and coordinated funds and 
     resources from various agencies for purposes of human 
     resources development, physical infrastructure development, 
     and economic development assistance in general. Such report 
     shall identify programs or activities which might be 
     integrated and make recommendations for the removal of any 
     statutory or other barriers to such integration.

     SEC. [6.] 5. EFFECTIVE DATE.

       This Act and the amendments made by this Act shall take 
     effect on the date of enactment of this Act.

  Mr. BROWNBACK. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the 
committee amendments be agreed to, the bill be read a third time and 
passed, and that any statements relating to the bill be printed in the 
Record.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
  The committee amendments were agreed to.
  The bill (S. 1509), as amended, was passed.

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